The Complete Leader - Problem Solving Abilityhttp://thecompleteleader.org/tags/problem-solving-ability
en5 Things You Need to do to be Successful at Just About Anythinghttp://thecompleteleader.org/blog/5-things-you-need-do-be-successful-just-about-anything
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/imce/successful%20at%20anything.jpg" style="float:left; height:215px; margin:15px; width:300px" /><em>By Dave Clark</em></p>
<p>Like the elusive fountain of youth, people are constantly looking for the magic recipe or the secret sauce to become successful. While there are far more successful people in the world than I am, I would like to share some things that have worked for me over the years. </p>
<p>I am proud to say that I’ve been able to reinvent myself several times over the years, making “hard shifts” between unrelated industries, successfully landing on my feet - and thriving - each time. There were a few consistent themes each time I made one of these drastic changes. Since they worked for me, they may work for you, as well. As far as I’m concerned, these are the 5 things you need to do to be successful at just about anything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The early days</strong></p>
<p>I was a typical suburban-American kid playing in a band and planning for college. In between delusions of grandeur, I had high hopes of figuring out what I wanted to be at some point of the process. While I started out as a business major, it took me about five minutes to realize that business didn’t stoke my personal fire. I switched to communications because it offered a wide variety of options, such as journalism, TV, radio (and it required very little math to complete the degree!)</p>
<p>I landed my first career-oriented job at a major daily newspaper while still finishing college. Though I worked for one of the largest newspapers in the country, it was in the advertising sales department rather than in the editorial wing. I figured it was just a matter of time before I’d work my way downstairs and do what I originally intended to do - write. </p>
<p>What I failed to realize at that time was that major daily newspapers do not regularly hire newbies; they hire proven, seasoned veterans from their long list of candidates that already have a successful track record.</p>
<p>So when I woke up one day, eighteen years later, successful on the surface but thoroughly unsatisfied with my lot in life, I decided to make a change. The craft beer industry was booming and I wanted to get in on it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The first major life shift</strong></p>
<p>After deciding I wanted to become a professional brewer and open my own brewpub, I figured I needed to learn how to brew beer. I immersed myself in books on brewing beer, subscribed to magazines such as <em>Brew Your Own</em> and <em>Zymurgy</em> and joined my local homebrew club so I could surround myself with established brewers and like minds.</p>
<p>I brewed with every available spare moment I had, and before long, had become more than proficient. In fact, in a three-year period, I entered various contests and amassed 42 medals in competition. I was well on my way to reaching my goal of becoming a professional.</p>
<p>Shortly thereafter, I was offered a job working at a small Akron, Ohio brewery called <a href="http://www.hoppinfrog.com/" rel=" noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(80, 144, 173); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hoppin’ Frog</a>. Owned and operated by a diminutive but talented brewer named Fred, I started at the absolute bottom. Fred agreed to teach me what he knew in exchange for working for beer. Within a few months, and several cases of hard-earned beers later, I had gained a lot of knowledge and proven my reliability. Fred offered me the position of assistant brewer. I had achieved my goal of becoming a professional brewer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>At a crossroads</strong></p>
<p>It turns out beer brewing is very physically demanding and the conditions are less than ideal. The idea of doing heavy physical labor sounded less and less appealing to me with each passing year. I started to have a change of heart about opening my own brewpub. One day I decided to shelve the whole idea entirely. I needed a new plan.</p>
<p>I took a moment for some deep self-introspection. I thought back to a time when I was purely optimistic and excited about my future. I thought back to my college years and put myself back into that mindset. What did I want to be back then? And then I remembered: if the music thing didn’t work out, I wanted to be a journalist.</p>
<p>Writing appealed to me on several levels. No physical labor was involved, you can work from anywhere in world, do the job any time of day and write about an unlimited amount of topics. Creativity, a prerequisite to being a good writer, has always been one of my better attributes. I knew that I had a good grasp of the English language and that writing single handedly saved my college career, so I decided to give it a go. Major life shift number two was under way.</p>
<p>I approached two local publications and offered to write about topics I was well versed in: craft beer and music. They both accepted although one of the publications would only publish my stories on a gratis basis. While working for free didn’t thrill me, I knew I needed to build a resume so I contributed material for an entire year to this publication without pay. I was focused and I was committed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The dividends</strong></p>
<p>Writing week in and week out for over a year and half really honed my skills. Before long I was in contact with my current employer. I had taken a skill of mine that was previously a hobby and turned it into a profession. </p>
<p>I had the very specific intention of becoming a professional writer, just as I had the same intentional drive to become a professional brewer previously. I did what I had to do to get there, including <a href="https://blog.ttisuccessinsights.com/resistance-the-biggest-enemy-that-stands-between-you-and-your-lifes-biggest-goals-part-i" rel=" noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(80, 144, 173); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">fighting resistance</a>all along the way. I didn’t need to be well versed in everything, I just needed to become a <em>specialist in the art of writing</em>, in the same manner I learned very instinctively to become a proficient brewer.</p>
<p>When I started writing about beer and music for the local publications, I didn’t know where it would lead, and certainly couldn’t have predicted I’d become the staff writer at TTI Success Insights. But I did a little something every day toward my goal, and had a blast all along the way.</p>
<p>Not only did I get immersed in the local brewing scene being the local specialist, I got to meet many of my musical inspirations when I wrote music-related stories. In some ways, I was able to live out childhood dreams as an adult that I didn’t follow through with when I was a younger man. Better late than never.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Consistent Themes</strong></p>
<p>Regardless of whether I was trying to finish my degree, learning to brew or striving to become a professional writer, there were common themes that have always been present in my life.</p>
<ol><li>Be committed</li>
<li>Get and stay focused</li>
<li>Be very intentional and instinctive in your learning</li>
<li>Form a mastermind group</li>
<li>Keep moving forward toward your goal a little every day</li>
</ol><p>These themes are evident throughout my story. You cannot be focused unless you are committed. It all starts with making the commitment. Once you become committed, then you need to hone your focus.</p>
<p>Whatever area it is you wish to pursue, learn everything you can about that area, but only about that area. There are only so many hours in the day, so keeping yourself laser focused and spending time doing something toward your goals every day is paramount. Progress can vary day to day, but you want to make some sort of progress every single day. Doing so creates fuel because progress builds on itself.</p>
<p>When I think back to the brewing phase of my life, I’m reminded of the importance of forming a mastermind group. This does not need to be anything official, like a board of directors meeting, it can be as simple as a group of people who communicate through email or social media. The point is you want to have people on your side who have done what you want to do, and hopefully have done it well for awhile. They know the ins and outs of the thing you are pursuing. Use their successes and pitfalls to shorten your learning curve.</p>
<p>When I decided to become a professional brewer, I formed a mastermind group that featured professional brewers from leading craft breweries, along with some of the most accomplished amateurs. I would present a topic and everyone in the group would add input. This lead to members of the group becoming friends. The knowledge that came from these sessions was invaluable and sped up the learning process exponentially. Forming a <a href="http://www.thesuccessalliance.com/what-is-a-mastermind-group/" rel=" noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(80, 144, 173); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">mastermind group</a>, in my opinion, is one of the smartest things you can do when you want to master a new craft.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>
<p>Anytime you are undergoing a major life shift, a lot of things have to fall into place. And sometimes a little touch of serendipity helps push you forward. You can <a href="https://liveyourlegend.net/serendipity-101-how-i-create-luck/" rel=" noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(80, 144, 173); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">create some of your own serendipity</a> by focusing on these five consistent themes mentioned throughout. Start by committing then getting and staying focused. Being intentional in your process and instinctive about your learning will keep you on track. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to by doing something every day, especially with other like-minds, who will help keep you on a path to success.</p>
<p>This blog originally appeared on <a href="https://blog.ttisuccessinsights.com" target="_blank">blog.ttisuccessinsights.com</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leaders-lead-themselves" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leaders lead themselves</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/self-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">self management</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/tti-success-insights" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">TTI Success Insights</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/dave-clark" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dave Clark</a></div></div></div>Fri, 20 Jul 2018 14:14:31 +0000admin59355 at http://thecompleteleader.orgDiving Into Solving Wicked Messes (Problem Solving Series, Ep. 3)http://thecompleteleader.org/blog/diving-solving-wicked-messes-problem-solving-series-ep-3
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Today host Dale Dixon and executive advisor Ron Price continue their discussion of problem solving by diving straight into wicked messes. Ron shares how to recognize a wicked mess, and mistakes people make when they are trying to solve complex problems. He gives tips for starting to address a non-linear problems and how you can use the skills of negotiation and creativity to solve a complex problem.</p>
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/431588019&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leadership" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leadership</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/ron-price" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ron Price</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/dale-dixon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dale Dixon</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/tclpodcast" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">TCLPodcast</a></div></div></div>Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:53:51 +0000admin59268 at http://thecompleteleader.orgFinding the Seed of Benefit in Every Problem (Problem Solving Series, Episode 2)http://thecompleteleader.org/blog/finding-seed-benefit-every-problem-problem-solving-series-episode-2
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Host Dale Dixon and Executive Coach Ron Price continue their conversation around Problem Solving for leaders. They discuss two different kinds of problems--common-cause variation and special-cause variation--and why it's important to understand which type you're dealing with. Ron talks about taking a scientific approach to problems, tools that help leaders understand the root cause of a problem, and the indicators of a linear problem.</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/424177137&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true"></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leadership" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leadership</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/ron-price" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ron Price</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/dale-dixon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dale Dixon</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/tclpodcast" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">TCLPodcast</a></div></div></div>Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:05:38 +0000admin59241 at http://thecompleteleader.orgProblem Solving (Series Episode 1)http://thecompleteleader.org/blog/problem-solving-series-episode-1
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Host Dale Dixon and and Leadership Advisor Ron Price discuss a skill that impacts all of us: Problem Solving. Ron talks about building this skill as a leader, and the additional leadership skills that are involved in problem solving. He gives his three steps to examine and solve a problem, including questions to ask yourself to understand a problem in a more comprehensive way, questions to understand the framework for a problem, and questions to discover the right combination of people to solve it. He and Dale talk about making intentional problem solving a habit instead of simply a reaction. Ron talks about how he began to look at problems differently during his career, seeing them as "opportunities with work clothes on."</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/417109539&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true"></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leadership" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leadership</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/ron-price" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ron Price</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/dale-dixon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dale Dixon</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/tclpodcast" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">TCLPodcast</a></div></div></div>Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:14:26 +0000admin59231 at http://thecompleteleader.orgProblem Solving: Evaluating All Angles of an Issuehttp://thecompleteleader.org/blog/problem-solving-evaluating-all-angles-issue
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Leaders with an aptitude for problem-solving have the ability to analyze, diagnose and deal with problems effectively. Whether the problem is linear and “tame,” or nonlinear and “wicked,” adept problem solvers have a natural propensity to discover and help lead others to solutions. In this 2-minute video, faculty member Whit Mitchell talks about the traits we see in a person who has this important ability and also shares insights on how to develop this competency in yourself and others.</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hrkrf4dWP5k" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leaders-are-clear-thinkers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leaders are clear thinkers</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/whit-mitchell" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">whit mitchell</a></div></div></div>Tue, 16 Jan 2018 19:13:13 +0000admin59143 at http://thecompleteleader.orgIs Your Idea Good Enough?http://thecompleteleader.org/blog/your-idea-good-enough
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/imce/is%20your%20idea%20good%20enough.jpg" style="float:left; height:215px; margin:15px; width:300px" />By Dr. Evans Baiya, Innovation Enterprise, September 2017</strong></p>
<p>You have an idea to solve a problem or opportunity, whether it be a new process for your department or even a new business idea. So how do you figure out if your idea will actually work and if it’s sustainable? People often come up with ideas that could be significant, but they struggle with quantifying them to determine if they can be viable products, improvements, services or businesses with true value.</p>
<p>Regardless of the initial inspiration, innovations that eventually produce results all follow a disciplined framework from problem/opportunity to impact. And successful innovation takes more than one great idea. The fact is that innovations succeed with a large number of ideas and fail because of a lack of them. <a href="https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/is-your-idea-good-enough" target="_blank">Read more.</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/innovation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">innovation</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/dr-evans-baiya" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dr. Evans Baiya</a></div></div></div>Tue, 31 Oct 2017 21:53:18 +0000admin59101 at http://thecompleteleader.orgWhat Are You Compromising?http://thecompleteleader.org/blog/what-are-you-compromising
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Our guest is Chris Steely, Founder and Managing Director of GPS Business Group. Chris is a highly decorated Marine Corps logistics officer, and a national collegiate rowing champion, gold medalist and coach. Chris talks about compromise in business, why it is continuous, and how to use compromise to your advantage. He defines "appropriate compromise," the four key characteristics of leadership, and what it means to be holistically aware of the consequences of our actions. Follow Chris @ChrisSteely</p>
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/305306302&amp;color=ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false"></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leadership" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leadership</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/negotiation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">negotiation</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/chris-steely" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Chris Steely</a></div></div></div>Mon, 30 Jan 2017 21:30:13 +0000admin58845 at http://thecompleteleader.orgWays to Deal with a Bad Bosshttp://thecompleteleader.org/blog/ways-deal-bad-boss
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/imce/bad-boss.jpg" style="float:left; height:215px; margin:15px; width:300px" />By Whit Mitchell</em></p>
<p>Most of us have had an experience with a bad boss at some point in our careers, or know someone who has. Bad bosses can seem more common because they tend to stick out in an organization. </p>
<p>Bad managers can be a high cost to an organization. Often a bad boss will drive away several good employees before anything is done about it.</p>
<p>The thing to remember is that usually a bad boss is not a bad person, just a bad leader.</p>
<p>When a subject matter expert or a long-term employee is promoted to management without any leadership training, their other job skills simply don’t translate. Then the problem is only exacerbated as the bad boss is shuffled from department to department, instead of trained or placed into a non-leadership position where he or she actually excels.</p>
<p>I’ve seen it happen time after time. This shuffling doesn’t do the organization any good, or the person any good. They never get the opportunity to do better. </p>
<p>Most people have a good heart, but they struggle figuring out how to deliver constant, clear and timely feedback to their employees. This is at the crux of most bad boss behavior. If you can’t deliver regular feedback in a way that is well received, then you will continually struggle to manage employees. </p>
<p>This struggle to manage then results in bad behavior like impatience, anger, blaming, micromanaging, not listening, discounting opinions, favoritism, and simply the inability to connect. You can’t be a great boss unless you’re really connecting with your people. </p>
<p><strong>What You Can Do</strong><br />
Most people are too scared to confront a bad boss directly about his or her behavior. They are afraid of the consequences and possible retaliation. And generally bad bosses lack self-awareness, so direct communication may not go over well. </p>
<p>Don’t go behind your boss’s back or over his or her head. This is usually not an effective idea, and it eventually gets back to the person anyway.</p>
<p>If you can’t beat them, join them. But join them in a way where they never see you coming. The best thing to do with a bad boss is to connect with him or her. </p>
<ol><li>Ask for coaching and development from your boss to begin to build new connections with him or her. All of the sudden you’ve engaged a bad boss into helping you.</li>
<li>Figure out what you can control or influence and then create a plan to deal with those bad boss behaviors.</li>
<li>Ask for a 360-Degree Review and compare your answers with your boss’s answers. This opens up lines of communication, and may also get them to see something about themselves.</li>
<li>If all else fails, transfer to a new department or job.</li>
</ol></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/whit-mitchell" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">whit mitchell</a></div></div></div>Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:31:10 +0000admin58407 at http://thecompleteleader.orgThe Top 3 Causes of Conflict in Family Business, and How to Begin to Diffuse Ithttp://thecompleteleader.org/blog/top-3-causes-conflict-family-business-and-how-begin-diffuse-it
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/imce/family-business-conflict.jpg" style="float:left; height:215px; margin:15px; width:300px" />By Andy Johnson </em></p>
<p>My first career was in architecture. My father was an architect and it came naturally to me as well. Right out of college, I took a job at a local firm that specialized in school design. Because I had interned with my dad during my college years, I was able to shorten the three years required prior to taking the licensure exam down to two. I took the California architecture exam consisting of nine sections over three days and passed it the first time. With my new license in hand, it didn’t take long for my dad to suggest that we go into business together.</p>
<p>There I was, all of 25 years old and a licensed architect, in partnership with my dad who had been practicing for over 30 years. As an introvert, I focused on the business side of things and he, an extrovert, brought most of the clients in. Everything actually worked fine until the recession of the early ’90s hit. I eventually ended up relocating to Idaho and started my own firm there. My dad eventually came to Idaho as well, and worked for me in the new firm, along with a staff of 12 people.</p>
<p>Having been my father’s employee, partner and eventual boss, I know first hand some of the struggles involved in working with family. This is part of the understanding I bring to the task of helping family businesses get and stay healthy and conflict-free.</p>
<p>Family businesses often bring family dynamics and conflict into the mix. Businesses have conflict, family businesses tend to have even more. Here are three of the top underlying causes of conflict I tend to see:</p>
<ol><li><strong>Confusion between the two systems</strong><br />
I would say this is the big one. In a family business there are two systems, the family system and the business system. Too often, these two are blurred together. Who is each person in each system? Often roles from one system are carried over to the other. Each system should have different definitions and boundaries to prevent cross-over between systems.</li>
<li><strong>Sibling and other rivalries</strong><br />
As it was in the family, so it tends to be in the family business. Unresolved sibling and other rivalries often fuel conflict now that the stakes are even higher. Situations from childhood can continue to play out and often spouses of those children get involved. </li>
<li><strong>Conflict avoidance and other dysfunction</strong><br />
Most families have at least some dysfunction. Denial is a common family problem. What conflict? If we don’t see the problems in the family and the family business, we don’t have to deal with them. Many family businesses fail to develop a clear understanding of conflict and its development. If we don’t understand where conflict comes from, we are repeatedly surprised by its emergence. This pain and surprise is avoidable.</li>
</ol><p>Identifying the leading possibilities for family business conflict is only the beginning. What do you, as a leader in your family business, need to do to prevent it from happening to you?</p>
<ol><li><strong>Set up two clear and identifiable systems.</strong><br />
We often suffer from a lack of clarity. What are the roles, definitions and boundaries of each of the two systems? When we meet or have discussions, the role of each person (family or business) needs to be clear. Don't allow the two roles to get confused or merged together. For example, the business needs to run as a meritocracy whereas the family will tend to run in an almost opposite manner. Each person’s role in each of the systems needs to be clearly defined for them and for the rest of the family.</li>
<li><strong>Work through unresolved family issues.</strong><br />
Unresolved issues left over from growing up in the family will remain until they are worked through. Old conflicts may still be operative, especially if they have never been talked about. The family system and history are powerful forces that do not simply go away. Many times, families that work together need to go back and revisit things from earlier history that are affecting their relationships today. (This is where my background in family therapy often helps clients.)</li>
<li><strong>Learn and apply a model of conflict development and prevention.</strong><br />
Why do we act surprised when conflict rears its ugly head? Unfortunately, most businesses don’t have a clear model of conflict that allows them to head it off. In my work with family businesses, I work to inculcate a clear model of the origins of conflict so that each person in the company is equipped to spot the signs earlier. As I teach my clients, the best place to prevent conflict is in your own head and thinking. This is where it tends to originate. If we get good at recognizing the signs of its emergence, we can cut it off quickly.</li>
</ol><p>Family conflict is painful. When it occurs within a family business, it can be even more painful and can impact the bottom line of each person involved and the business as a whole. These organizations need to work deliberately and consistently to prevent and eliminate conflict and its deleterious effects. There is no time like the present. If you find yourself in the midst of intense conflict or little, the chances that conflict is coming are high.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/conflict-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">conflict management</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/andy-johnson" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">andy johnson</a></div></div></div>Fri, 16 Sep 2016 17:15:45 +0000admin57555 at http://thecompleteleader.orgFear Nothttp://thecompleteleader.org/blog/fear-not
<div class="field field-name-field-body-visitor field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/imce/fear.jpg" style="float:left; height:200px; margin:10px 15px; width:300px" />Identify and Eliminate Fear in Your Organization </em></p>
<p>By Whit Mitchell</p>
<p>A number of years ago my son tried out for the local high school lacrosse team as a freshman. He had played soccer and hockey and thought lacrosse would be a good fit. He would often come home after practice looking a bit bedraggled and discouraged. I attributed it to the fact he had never played and was a freshman.</p>
<p>Being a fan of all sports, and especially ones my children participated in, I decided to drive him to the first away game. What happened that day will live with me forever.<br />
The team we played was far superior and we were beaten badly. But what I experienced watching my son play was painful. He was put in on the defense and for the entire game the coach was yelling at him from the sidelines. </p>
<p>He got in the car for the trip home in tears. “Dad, I didn't know what to do. If I went up I was yelled at, if I went back I was yelled at. I couldn’t figure out where to be on the field so I just froze for fear of being yelled at!” He was frozen in fear.</p>
<p>Fear influences us. Every morning my wife turns on the TV and we listen to the presidential candidates tell us how horrible the other candidates are. The clear strategy is to create fear in all of us so we vote for them. Why do we play into this tactic? Because research shows that we vote based on fear not based on the candidate’s aspirations.</p>
<p>Fear is everywhere. As a leader, can you identify it in your organization? What is the “Fear Factor” at your company? Do people feel safe when speaking with you or others on the leadership team? What have you done to ensure openness, honesty, transparency and safety within your culture?</p>
<p>Here are the some common causes of fear in companies:<br /><strong>Lack of communication regarding company direction.</strong> People want to know they matter and they want to know how they fit into your plans for the future of the company. If they are left in the dark, or even to their own imaginations, fear can grow.<br /><strong>Poor manager behavior.</strong> We hire for skills and fire for behaviors! When leaders behave poorly it creates tension, fear, and lack of engagement. If you find yourself getting angry, yelling, putting others down in public, making off-the-cuff remarks, losing your temper, or shutting down, you will find your employees losing trust and faith in your abilities.<br /><strong>Uneven access to management.</strong> When I worked in the athletic department of a local college, a group of us would run everyday at noon. We changed clothes in the locker room, and it happened that the Athletic Director changed at a nearby locker. We would naturally talk about the different teams and occasionally bend his ear about our own needs for our programs. At some point, some of the women’s coaches got wind of this noontime ritual. They approached the AD and asked for equal time to discuss their needs. They feared that the men’s coaches were getting extra time in a setting that was unavailable to them. Could this same kind of situation show up in your organization?</p>
<p>There are many benefits of recognizing and lowering your organization’s Fear Factor. As your people see how you encourage open and honest communication at all levels of the organization, they will take more chances sharing information up, down and across the organization. If the flow of quality information increases, you will see a change in relationships with your customers, your investors, your employees, and even your bottom line.</p>
<p>If people at all levels of the company feel safe with you and other managers, you will see them:</p>
<ul><li>Sharing new ideas about projects, people or systems.</li>
<li>Challenging you on your ideas knowing there won’t be any retribution.</li>
<li>Leaving meetings feeling valued because they shared their viewpoints and you acknowledged their contributions. </li>
<li>Giving you feedback on how your behaviors impact the organization </li>
</ul><p>Just think what could happen to your bottom line and people’s engagement if the work environment was void of the Fear Factor!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/blog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">blog</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/leadership" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">leadership</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/problem-solving-ability" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Problem Solving Ability</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/whit-mitchell" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">whit mitchell</a></div></div></div>Fri, 25 Mar 2016 00:36:20 +0000admin57326 at http://thecompleteleader.org